Injured Chris Minard a major missing piece for Springfield Falcons

Chris Minard of the Springfield Falcons has been out with a head injury since Oct. 30.
SPRINGFIELD – Asked what he’s doing these days, Chris Minard smiles the rueful smile of a man who, above all else, would like to be more in control of his own situation.
“I’m not doing much,” the injured Springfield Falcons left wing said.
He can’t.
“It’s very frustrating, especially with the team not scoring and not winning,” said Minard, who has been out since Halloween with a head injury.
Minard came to Springfield this year, eager to provide the big-time scorer the team has lacked. For 11 games, he did so, scoring nine goals.
On Oct. 30, Minard was injured. He was initially expected to miss a couple of weeks.
But when the Falcons play at Worcester Wednesday night, Minard will miss his 32nd straight game, with no return date in sight.
The Falcons’ offense has been so anemic that Minard is still tied for second on the team in goals with Chad Wiseman, who is also out with a head injury.
Only Colton Fretter, with 15 goals in 41 games, has more.
“I think Chris will be back this year,’ Falcons coach Rob Daum said.
“With some guys, you wonder if they want to play, but not with him.”
“I tried to come back a couple of times, and I had setbacks, so we’re not taking any chances,” said Minard, 28.
Minard reports to the rink every day, rides the stationary bike and does what else he can with Brandon Dionne, the Falcons trainer.
As far back as Nov. 21, he traveled with the Falcons to Hershey, not to play but to get in some non-contact skating.
“I thought I’d miss one or two weeks. I wanted to give it a shot, but I wasn’t healthy enough,” Minard said.
Daum said Minard has shown occasional, modest progress, only to suffer a setback.
Minard is not the only Falcons player sidelined with a head-related injury. Wiseman, left wing Bryan Lerg and defenseman Theo Peckham have been out as well.
The injuries come at a time when concerns over concussions have emerged as a hot-button sports topic, notably in hockey and football.
The Falcons do not use the term “concussion” with Minard. Every time he’s tried to move forward, though, he’s been plagued by headaches or vision problems, he said.
Daum said the newsworthy nature of such injuries is not the reason for caution.
“There is a process with this type of injury, and it’s been in place (before this season). Whenever you regress, it’s back to step one,” Daum said.
Minard scored 34 goals in 54 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year, and another six in 12 playoff games.
Over his last three AHL seasons, he’s scored 91 goals. His absence has taken a big bite out of the Falcons’ offense, which has generated only 40 goals in its last 22 games.
Had they not beaten Providence on Jan. 2, the Falcons would be going to Worcester, trying to avoid their 23rd straight winless game.
The AHL record is 23, set by Pittsburgh in 1963. As it is, Springfield has scored only seven goals in losing its last four in a row.
Peckham, whose injury was less severe, is expected back Wednesday. So is defenseman Taylor Chorney, who has missed two games with the flu.
Rob Hisey may be out with a hand injury, though. Hisey has five goals in seven games since joining the Falcons, providing about the only bright spot of late.
As for Minard, his only bright spot lately was the birth of his son, Chase, a week ago.
His family life has never been busier or better. He wishes that were true about his career, too.
“I’ve never been out of action this long before, even in the summer,” he said.
“That’s why I don’t know what to expect. It’s very hard.”